Search results for: reliance

Although South Africa is slow to adopt electric vehicles, some car manufacturers like BMW, Nissan and Jaguar are leading the race for electric cars in the country. With the increase in environmental concerns, vehicle manufacturers are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and are looking to technology and electric vehicles to help them reduce carbon emissions.

Two factors that are driving this commitment include start-stop technology and lithium-ion batteries that provide sufficient power for vehicles’ and ensure motorists go the distance.

Start-stop technology

Vehicles using start-stop technology are good for the environment and can reduce carbon dioxide emissions. More car manufacturers are adopting this technology, which includes using enhanced performance batteries, such as Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB)  and Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries. These batteries have improved cycle life and charge acceptance.

Lithium-ion batteries

The battery of choice to power electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries are already being imported by South Africa’s battery specialists to power motorcycles. These batteries are ideal because their high energy, high power and faster charging, power vehicles for longer distances on a single battery charge.

Even with breakthrough battery technology, battery manufacturers continue to explore how to improve batteries that power vehicles.

What is the future of automotive batteries?

Researchers and manufacturers are looking at improvements in battery technology to further reduce impact to the environment.  Here are some additional technological advancements manufacturers are exploring to improve their battery performance and reduce environmental impact.

1. Lithium-sulphur batteries
   Researchers at Monash University are testing lithium-sulphur batteries. This battery advancement has an even lower environmental impact than lithium-ion batteries and can power certain electric vehicles for 1 000km before needing a recharge.
   
   
2. Battery power from seawater
   In a breakthrough discovery by IBM Research, researchers discovered they could manufacture a battery from seawater. This technology charges faster than lithium-ion batteries, is powerful, suitable for electric vehicles, and free from metals including nickel and cobalt.
   
   
3. Improving lead-acid batteries
   New model cars are designed and manufactured to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. These vehicles’ reliance on start-stop technology will see an increased demand for lead-acid batteries, funding further improvements in battery performance.

As technology advances car batteries, the trusted battery specialists are ready for the trends and technology that keep vehicles powering on. Whatever your car battery needs, call on the battery specialistswho can assess and service your vehicle battery twice a year.

-- ENDS --

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF BATTERY CENTRE BY G&G DIGITAL. 

Battery Centre is an iconic brand with a rich history of more than 50 years. Expert advice and specialist fitment of car, leisure, motorcycle, start-stop, truck batteries and standby solutions, Battery Centre is known as South Africa’s leading battery specialists. They offer nationwide warranties on their products at more than 150 Battery Centre franchises nationwide. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT batterycentre.co.zaOR CONTACT ANNIE HODES ON 083 325 4445 OR This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Our growing reliance on internet connectivity means that protection against cybercrime is an increasingly important consideration in personal financial planning

As eCommerce and reliance on digital banking and transactional platforms grows, so too have the risks for fraudulent payment scams and cybercrime. Cyberattacks now cost the world more than natural disasters, while malicious hackers attack computers and networks at a rate of one attack every 39 seconds, according to a report from Accenture¹.

Cybercrime can affect anyone who transacts online, while the pandemic has amplified the risks by opening the door to greater opportunistic threats. Phishing scams, virus attacks, fraudulent online and in-app purchases and EFTs, social engineering and identity theft affect millions of businesses and individuals every year.  

“While the need for cyber insurance is more readily understood and taken up in a commercial environment, individuals often believe that it won’t happen to them because hackers don’t consider smaller targets worth the effort.  Statistics clearly show that this is not the case, and many consumers simply overlook the importance of protecting their online and personal identity through an insurance and risk management approach, in the same way that businesses do,” explains Carl Moodley, Chief Underwriting and Claims Officer of GENRIC Insurance Company.

“Given our reliance on internet connectivity for virtually every aspect of our lives – from transacting, payments, communicating, entertainment and more – the need for insurance protection for cyber risks is becoming an essential personal financial planning tool in much the same way as household, motor and contents insurance is for physical risks,” adds Carl.

Cybercrime affects individuals in various ways: 

• Anyone who transacts online can be affected by cybercrime.
• Personal credit card and banking details can be stolen off computers, websites, mobile devices and apps and used fraudulently. Credit card details used to pay for mobile applications are vulnerable.
• Fraudulent online purchases can be made when neither you nor your credit card are present at the point of sale.
• Fraudulent EFTs can be done when someone gains access to your banking details and transfers money from your accounts without your knowledge.
• Phishing scams can con you into providing your personal details and use it to perpetrate fraud.
• Viruses and Malware unwittingly downloaded on your computer or mobile devices can harvest your personal data.
• Your identity can be stolen to perpetrate fraudulent online transactions. The process to restore your credit record and reputation can be onerous and very costly in terms of time, inconvenience and even legal costs.

“Individuals are typically softer targets as they are unlikely to have the security measures deployed in a business environment - such as anti-virus and malware software, firewalls, encryption, password protection, threat monitoring and so on.  While it is easy to understand the physical nature of a robbery at your property and the need for insurance if things do go wrong, the intangible nature of cybercrime leaves people at a loss as to how they can be at risk, and what they need to do to protect themselves. It’s a worrying oversight given just how prevalent cybercrime has become in South Africa where individuals are as much in the sights of cybercriminals as businesses are,” adds Carl.

According to Accenture, South Africa has the third-highest number of cybercrime victims worldwide with approximately R2.2 billion a year lost to cyber-attacks.  ‘Card-not-present’ (CNP) fraud on South African-issued credit cards remains the leading contributor to gross fraud losses in the country, accounting for 79.5% of all losses, while the country has seen an increase of more than 100% in mobile banking application fraud, according to the Accenture report.¹ During 2019, malware attacks increased by 22% or 577 attempted attacks per hour.¹

Individual cyber protection is now a necessity as cybercrime rapidly escalates

The pandemic has catapulted virtually every aspect of our personal and work lives into the cyber realm – from work, education, shopping, communication, entertainment and transacting.  As a result, individuals face greater risks and the potential for actual financial losses due to online threats.  These threats will grow exponentially as we lead more digitised and internet-dependent lives.

“It’s one of the key reasons why personal cyber risk protection is becoming as important as home, vehicle and life insurance are in one’s personal financial planning portfolio.  Risks are no longer limited to what can go wrong on the physical world.  A product solution like GENRIC’s Mycybercareproduct was designed for this eventuality, and protects the policy holder for loss of funds as a result of fraudulent online and In-app purchases, virus attacks, fraudulent EFTs, virus attacks and phishing scams.  The cover is designed as an affordable addition to one’s personal insurance portfolio, and allows you to structure the cover to protect multiple devices, as well as a defined sum-insured,” explains Carl.   

Beyond insurance protection alone, Mycybercarealso provides focused mitigation and educational measures to help consumers become more cyber-savvy and proactive about protecting their online identity and activity across personal, family and work exposures. 

“The policy is structured to mitigate against cybercrime in the first place by implementing suitable virus and malware protection, detecting malicious threat actors and monitoring the dark web for fraudulent usage of your personal, family or business digital assets such as your ID, email, credit card, mobile number, bank account, IP addresses and other variants.  It also provides for cyber bullying prevention in terms of IT, legal and psychological assistance, and insures for online loss of funds.  The monitoring and protection is done in real-time and policyholders are notified of any alerts that require intervention to prevent being a victim of online crime.  Cyber security awareness training is also provided through a video training portal which shows consumers how the human link is often the weakest link in a cyberattack, and how to prevent becoming a victim of online crime in the first place,” he adds.

Premiums range from R40 per month (R350 per annum) for R10 000 cover to R70 per month (R730 per annum) for up to R100 000 in cover for financial loss.  Premiums and benefits are subject to review. For more information, terms and conditions, benefits, limitations exclusions visit www.genric.co.zaand https://my-cybercare.com/

MyCybercare is a product of GENRIC Insurance Company Limited (FSP 43638), an Authorised Financial Services Provider and licensed non-life insurer.

References:

1. Accenture - Insight into the cyber threat landscape in South Africa, published May 2020, available from https://www.accenture.com/za-en/insights/security/cyberthreat-south-africa [Accessed 10 Nov 2020]

Research by The National Income Dynamics Study shows that urban shack dwellers have borne the biggest brunt of hunger and that food security is still not back to the pre-lockdown level.

Titled the “Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey,” the study was conducted by 30 researchers at six universities in July and August. Results showed that while the lockdown devastated employment and incomes, especially for low-income earners, government grants did go some way to mitigating the impact. The rates of hunger are still, however, substantially higher than pre-coronavirus levels. The research further shows that urban shack dwellers have borne the biggest brunt of the lockdown, going hungry far more often than those in any other category.

“There is no doubt that COVID-19 has highlighted the urgent need for vulnerable families to have a more sustainable food security plan,” says Dr Sandra Pretorius, Health in Action Programme Manager for INMED South Africa. “Food insecurity and malnutrition are unfortunately a growing reality for an increasing number of children and adults in many communities across South Africa.” Health in Action is a school-based programme of INMED South Africa and the Mondelēz International Foundation.

“In our effort to alleviate malnutrition and lack of access to nutritious food, our Health in Action programme has been giving out food parcels with nutrient-dense foods to some of our participating schools and to those learners identified by the schools as being the most in need of assistance during lockdown,” says Pretorius.

In delivering the food parcels, members of INMED South Africa observed that neighbouring families were also in dire need of food security, particularly those living in substandard housing, such as a 100-year-old gogo in Port Elizabeth.

“We realized the importance of extending the reach of our school garden program and launched a pilot project in August called Seeds for Life to help vulnerable households start backyard food gardens,” Pretorius explains. The project initially targeted 40 households in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg to receive seeds, training and assistance to grow their own produce.

“These are families who are all eager to have their own vegetable gardens, utilising the space that they have, no matter how small – even on pavements in tyres,” says Pretorius. The HIA teams, with the assistance of Health in Action Break Time Buddies, have started distributing seeds, training and support to homes in Diepsloot, Soweto and Orange Farm in Johannesburg and in Zwide, Kwa-Zakhele, Motherwell and northern areas in Port Elizabeth.

“Our goal is to raise R250 000 rand to support 2 500 families with the establishment of food gardens and seeds in Gauteng and Port Elizabeth,” says Pretorius. “It is an ambitious plan, but we believe it is achievable.”

-- ENDS --

PREPARED ON BEHALF OF INMED SOUTH AFRICA BY CATHY FINDLEY PR. CONTACT JACQUI MOLOI WITH ANY QUERIES ON (011) 463-6372 OR EMAIL This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Editor’s notes 

About INMED Partnerships for Children
INMED Partnerships for Children is a non-profit international development organisation that has worked in more than 100 countries for over 30 years to build pathways for vulnerable children and families to achieve well-being and self-reliance. Through multisector partnerships and in-country affiliates, INMED builds effective systems that deliver innovative and sustainable approaches to break complex cycles of poverty for current and future generations. Learn more at https://inmed.org.

About INMED South Africa
Since 2006, in-country affiliate INMED South Africa has been working in collaboration with a wide range of corporate, foundation and government partners to transform the health, lives and futures of South Africa’s most vulnerable children. INMED South Africa’s programmes focus on food security, child and community health, and economic and social development via climate-smart agriculture and participatory education. Incorporated under Section 21, INMED South Africa is a registered non-profit organization (NPC/PBO) recognized by the Department of Social Development and the South African Revenue Service (SARS). For more information, visit: www.inmed.org.za.

About the Mondelēz International Foundation
The Mondelēz International Foundation (MIF) is the charitable arm of global food and beverage conglomerate Mondelēz International. Through international partnerships with leading NGOs, MIF funds nutrition education, active play and fresh foods programs to empower more than one million children and their families around the world to lead healthier lives. For information, visit: https://za.mondelezinternational.com/.

Ntobeko Mchunu, who has recently joined NGO INMED South Africa as Programme Manager: Adaptive Agriculture, has beaten all the odds to achieve his dream of graduating with a PhD in Bioresources Systems from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). He was one of 1 781 graduates honoured at the University’s virtual Spring Graduation ceremony last month.

Nelson Mandela once said that Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world, and Mchunu, who hails from the small Tafuleni location in Pietermaritzburg, is proof of what can be accomplished with the right attitude and drive. Mchunu says he initially found it extremely difficult to transition from his life in a rural community to the university environment and struggled in the beginning failing his first year of study. Despite this, he persevered and went on to complete his undergraduate degree in record time and with extra credits, “In my home, school (Bhekuximba High School) and community there is no-one else who has ever graduated with a BSc (Bachelor of Science degree) let alone a doctorate,” he says.

Mchunu says the first year was daunting for him because he had no previous exposure to laboratories, computers and the internet and he needed the confidence to manage the tough curriculum. He says he will always be grateful for the support he received from the University – most notably from Dr Colin Southway who was a lecturer in Chemistry and Dean’s Assistant during those years. He says once he found that the content and practical aspects of tertiary studies aligned well with his natural curiosity, he started to thrive.

His research at the University was based on developing an aquaponics model and decision-making tool to kickstart aquaponics production in South Africa. His new position at INMED could not be more perfectly suited to his skills.

With in-depth expertise in bioresources, crop and soil sciences, food security as well as livestock production and project design and research, Mchunu sees adaptive agriculture as a solution for many challenges South Africans face. “Many communities continue to be plagued by poverty and unemployment,” he says. “The current pandemic has exacerbated this problem, placing severe pressure on ordinary South Africans already struggling to meet their basic household needs.”

“Food availability, food accessibility, food utilisation and food stability remains a critical hurdle for most households more especially in the midst of climate change,” says Sihlahla, INMED South Africa’s Programmes Director. “Food accessibility is one of the dimensions that we, as INMED SA, find to be a major challenge for households in low-resource disadvantaged communities. This significantly impacts on the ability of these households to obtain and consume a nutritious diet, with enough variety and an adequate supply of nutrient-dense foods.”

According to STATS SA, 2019, 53.4% of households were involved in planting fruit and vegetables in order to increase their access to food. The report also states that 16% of households had inadequate access to food, with 6% experiencing severe inadequacy, and that, as the number of children increases per household, the level of inadequacy also increases, where 29.6% of households with 3+ children experience inadequate access to food, and 7.6% experience severe food inadequacy.

“We are so thrilled to have Mchunu as part of our team and know he will be an inspiration and role model to so many young people,” concludes Sihlahla.

-- ENDS --

PREPARED ON BEHALF OF INMED SOUTH AFRICA BY CATHY FINDLEY PR. CONTACT JACQUI MOLOI WITH ANY QUERIES ON (071 764 8233)OR EMAIL This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Editor’s notes 

About INMED Partnerships for Children
INMED Partnerships for Children is a non-profit international humanitarian development organisation that has worked in more than 100 countries for over 30 years to build pathways for vulnerable children, families and communities to achieve well-being and self-reliance. Through multisector partnerships and in-country affiliates, INMED builds effective systems that deliver innovative and sustainable approaches to break complex cycles of poverty for current and future generations.

INMED South Africa
Since 2006, in-country affiliate INMED South Africa has been working in collaboration with a wide range of corporate, foundation and government partners to transform the health, lives and futures of South Africa’s most vulnerable children. INMED South Africa’s programmes focus on food security, child and community health, and economic and social development via climate-smart agriculture and participatory education. Incorporated under Section 21, INMED South Africa is a registered non-profit organization (NPC/PBO) recognized by the Department of Social Development and the South African Revenue Service (SARS). For more information, visit: www.inmed.org.za.

Driving into a green future with automotive batteries

Although South Africa is slow to adopt electric vehicles, some car manufacturers like BMW, Nissan and Jaguar are leading the race for electric cars in the country. With the increase in environmental concerns, vehicle manufacturers are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and are looking to technology and electric vehicles to help them reduce carbon emissions.

Two factors that are driving this commitment include start-stop technology and lithium-ion batteries that provide sufficient power for vehicles’ and ensure motorists go the distance.

Start-stop technology

Vehicles using start-stop technology are good for the environment and can reduce carbon dioxide emissions. More car manufacturers are adopting this technology, which includes using enhanced performance batteries, such as Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB)  and Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries. These batteries have improved cycle life and charge acceptance.

Lithium-ion batteries

The battery of choice to power electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries are already being imported by South Africa’s battery specialiststo power motorcycles. These batteries are ideal because their high energy, high power and faster charging, power vehicles for longer distances on a single battery charge.

Even with breakthrough battery technology, battery manufacturers continue to explore how to improve batteries that power vehicles.

What is the future of automotive batteries?

Researchers and manufacturers are looking at improvements in battery technology to further reduce impact to the environment.  Here are some additional technological advancements manufacturers are exploring to improve their battery performance and reduce environmental impact.

• Lithium-sulphur batteries
  Researchers at Monash University are testing lithium-sulphur batteries. This battery advancement has an even lower environmental impact than lithium-ion batteries and can power certain electric vehicles for 1 000km before needing a recharge.
  
  
• Battery power from seawater
  In a breakthrough discovery by IBM Research, researchers discovered they could manufacture a battery from seawater. This technology charges faster than lithium-ion batteries, is powerful, suitable for electric vehicles, and free from metals including nickel and cobalt.
  
  
• Improving lead-acid batteries
  New model cars are designed and manufactured to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. These vehicles’ reliance on start-stop technology will see an increased demand for lead-acid batteries, funding further improvements in battery performance.

As technology advances car batteries, the trusted battery specialists are ready for the trends and technology that keep vehicles powering on. Whatever your car battery needs, call on the battery specialistswho can assess and service your vehicle battery twice a year.

-- ENDS --

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF BATTERY CENTRE BY G&G DIGITAL.

Battery Centre is an iconic brand with a rich history of more than 50 years. Expert advice and specialist fitment of car, leisure, motorcycle, start-stop, truck batteries and standby solutions, Battery Centre is known as South Africa’s leading battery specialists. They offer nationwide warranties on their products at more than 150 Battery Centre franchises nationwide.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT batterycentre.co.zaOR CONTACT ANNIE HODES ON 083 325 4445 OR This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Opinion by Terence Williams, CEO of Aon South Africa

South African businesses operate in a time of unprecedented volatility across economics, demographics and geopolitics and as these risks evolve, business leaders can no longer rely on traditional risk mitigation tactics. Like the rest of the world, the impact of COVID-19 in South Africa has been devastating. The challenges and conditions that existed prior to the pandemic still prevail, however many have now been amplified by the impact of COVID-19 and the worldwide social and economic lockdowns.

The risks faced by businesses of all sizes, and across all sectors, are more complex and integrated than ever. It’s not just about the risk of property, assets, casualty or liability that most of us are familiar with, but risks that touch every facet of a business and its environment. Risk has evolved beyond the traditional loss or theft of property, equipment and other assets, to weather catastrophes, pandemic, cyber hacks, riots, personal liability, fraud, organised crime and class action lawsuits.

The economic, social and political impacts of COVID-19 have cut deeply, while job losses are plaguing the economy as uncertainty runs at unprecedented levels. The emergence of this pandemic has resulted in short-term changes in focus for business across the board and while some of these changes will be temporary, others are likely to prevail and become part of a ‘new normal’.

As definitive trends in risk emerge, sophisticated data and analytics models are providing powerful insights, not only into historical patterns, but also into the future risks facing the business sector. Successful companies will not be the ones that adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach. Instead they will be the ones that prepare themselves thoroughly to anticipate future needs and undertake the difficult process of finding solutions to address them. They will not just fix what is broken but view their new circumstances as a portal to the next generation of business opportunity. 

In our 2020 State of the market report, Aon’s risk management experts have surveyed the business and insurance landscapes both globally and locally, and provide ten current and future risk trends that are defining the state of the insurance market, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what business leaders need to focus on to manage risk exposure and ensure business growth in the current, and coming challenging times.

Aon unpacks the key issues that risk managers will need to navigate to cope with evolving and heavily inter-related complexities in an increasingly challenging business and socioeconomic environment:

1.Risk readiness is falling, but volatility is growing

While volatility is increasing locally and globally, we’re not seeing an increase in risk-preparedness, exposing businesses to the financial implications of uninsured losses. A key concern is that businesses are slow to develop and implement new risk and insurance programmes in the face of evolving risks such as cyber security, political risk and now, pandemic risk. A new lens is needed to match specialised insurance solutions to these evolving risks.

2.A widening skills gap and growing social discontent

Uncertainty and volatility around politics and economics are likely to widen SA’s growing skills shortage as an exodus of skilled people takes place. Companies are under pressure to afford and retain top talent. Furthermore, South Africa’s alarming unemployment rate is likely to drive growing dissatisfaction with the status quo, manifesting in violent protest and strike action which has historically caused significant losses to private and public property.

3.Political Risks are a Global Challenge

Developed nations, which were traditionally associated with political stability, are becoming new sources of volatility and uncertainty that worry businesses. Despite the availability of more data and analytics, and more mitigation solutions, companies are less prepared for political risk than ever before. Concerns over South Africa’s economy, and indeed the world are not going away soon, so organisations should learn from lessons in the past as political uncertainty is one of the biggest enemies of business.

4.Cyber risk is escalating

Remote working and the reliance on digital systems has elevated cyber risk in an already challenged risk environment plagued by a significant increase in frequency and severity of ransomware attacks. As risk grows, so too does awareness, and more and more organisations are looking carefully at cyber risk management.

5.Business Interruption (BI) risks intensify

BI has been on the Top 10 list of risks facing businesses since Aon’s Global Risk Management surveystarted in 2007. As supply chains have become global, there is increasing interdependency among companies. Such an industrial environment is heavily affected by uncertainties that have the potential to turn into unexpected disruptions. In addition, the focus on inventory reduction and lean supply chains has amplified such potential while the proliferation of cyberattacks has also added new urgency and dimension to BI. In the context of COVID-19, across many geographies, there are ongoing questions and conflicting perspectives concerning Business Interruption coverage. Through test cases locally and globally, the Financial Conduct Authorities (FCA's) are working towards bringing clarity to many of the key coverage and application of coverage issues. Pandemic exclusions are being applied by many insurers across various lines of business. Aon is working to minimise impacts and advocate for appropriate and fair application.

6.Weather catastrophes to intensify with climate change

Property-related and business interruption losses as a result of fire and weather catastrophes have increased dramatically in South Africa, with 2017 having the highest underwriting losses on record. Despite the fact that storms, floods, tornados and fi res increasingly account for the lion’s share of local property and business interruption insurance claims, businesses are increasingly underinsured for the financial impact of weather-related – and uncontrollable – losses.

7.Get serious about Directors and Officers (D&O) liability

Major corporate failures, scandals, data breaches and subsequent class actions mean that D&O cover is being called on more than ever before. Australia and the US have seen big increases in class actions and securities claims which have eroded excess layers and impacted the D&O insurance market globally.

8.Digitisation of Business

A robust technical infrastructure and end-to-end digital processes are key elements to safeguard productivity during events such as COVID-19. The insurance industry has expedited digitisation of business and other innovative technologies, focussed on increasing resilience and optimisation of business processes.

9.Trade Credit

South Africa is currently experiencing difficult political and economic conditions, and the occurrence of defaulting debtors on a company’s books is likely to continue in response to the weak trading conditions, exacerbated by an economically devastating pandemic lockdown. It would also be foolhardy to believe that large businesses don’t default on payments as recent corporate failures have shown. Accounts receivable are often the largest uninsured asset on a company’s balance sheet and yet often account for up to 40% or more of a company’s total assets.

10.COVID-19 Uncertainty

The potential for a next wave of COVID-19 continues to create both economic and insurance market uncertainty, both of which impact the current and short-term future claims environment. Coverage questions and limitations related to non-physical damage business interruption continue to dominate industry press, regulatory engagement, political commentary and legal filings. Claims activity in this arena will be ongoing for a significant period of time as coverage is tested in and out of court.

Managing risk and costs is imminently more crucial as the interconnectivity of traditional and emerging risks means organisations can no longer evaluate individual risks in isolation but must look at all the top risks and people in a more holistic way.

While the long-term impact of COVID-19 is still unchartered territory, what is not unchartered is our response to it

The role of professional and qualified advice linked to deep market insights becomes crucial in securing financial security in these challenging economic and socio-political environments, whether you’re are a solo operator or a large commercial operation. We know that COVID-19 and the impact it is and will continue to have across the world for the foreseeable future is still unchartered water.  What is not unchartered is our response to it. It is here where Aon’s fact-based insights, processes, skilled people and technology platforms ensure optimal decision making and functionality, and why we remain by the side of our clients during these disruptive times, providing a solutions-based management approach to insurance and advice, combined with a risk management strategy to help you protect your people, assets and brand, now and into the future. 

Aon South Africa’s 2020 State of the Market report delves into the intricacies of emerging, interrelated and existing risks that are being amplified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Download the full report here.

Brands across the globe are slowly but surely coming to terms with a world in the midst of COVID-19. Doing so has resulted in major campaigns being placed on ice or pivoted to a digital execution. The latter has significantly increased as brands used the opportunity to talk to their target audience online.

One key learning is that the Internet is the only place not locked down in a global lockdown. This has inspired communications agencies to create digital work which showed care, love and empathy. Research shows an increased reliance on digital mediums for many aspects of consumers lives.

In addition, consumers have also increased their usage of streaming platforms using mobile devices or smart TV’s.

To remain in touch with your core target audience, communication must take place where consumers spend their time. Here are some tips to meet your audience digitally.

Take learning online

Online learning has seen a surge during the global pandemic as many people opted to use their time to achieve personal growth and learn new skills. Smart organisations have implemented e-learning programmes to initiate professional growth for their staff and to give their businesses a much-needed boost in performance.

Make use of live-streaming

Brands are making use of platforms such as Instagram Live, Facebook Live or Twitch to livestream product launches and other important announcements. This is proving to be immensely successful as the conversion rate from viewer to customer surpassed the 12% mark, resulting in increased sales. In addition to converting viewers into customers, many brands find success in creating memorable experiences for their target audience, which goes a long way in retaining and attracting new customers.

Use webinars to educate and inform

Webinars were once a frowned-upon digital strategy. This has changed as consumers are now connected by a minimum of three devices at any given time. Use webinars to create content that is easily digested, relevant, and available for future reference. Webinars are an effective tool for internal communications for B2B and B2C brands, as well as educational tools for external audiences.

To capitalise on digital strategies, brands should meet their audiences where it matters, online and in channels of their choice. This is an opportunity to not just grow the cultural relevance of your brand, but also convert traffic into customers and increase market share.

To learn more on how your business can experience growth in a digital world get in touch with G&G Digital, or visit https://gullanandgullan.com/.

About Desirée Gullan 
Award-winning Co-founder and Executive Creative Director of G&G Digital, Desirée Gullan has been pivotal in producing many breakthrough digital communications based on deep, strategic insights. From strategy to creative direction, Gullan drives her agency to produce outstanding work and results-driven campaigns that add value to G&G's clients and their consumers. 

About G&G 
G&G Digital is an award-winning digital agency that creates breakthrough solutions for local and international brands. The team at G&G have a passion for producing quality, strategic digital solutions to assist organisations with their digital brand strategies and communications. All solutions are founded on deep consultation, strategic insights and data. G&G aims to surprise, delight and exceed clients' expectations. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT GULLANANDGULLAN.COM OR FOLLOW ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, LINKEDINOR INSTAGRAM. PLEASE CONTACT ANNIE HODES ON This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.OR 083 325 4445. 

Durban, 28 October 2020 – In this critical time, it is more than ever about togetherness. Earlier this year, Beiersdorf pledged to contribute to society’s collective fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by creating an immediate 50 million Euro international aid program. This commitment is in line with Beiersdorf’s corporate purpose “Care Beyond Skin” which expresses its passion to reach beyond its core business of taking care of people’s skin and making a sustainable contribution to people, society and the environment.

This is the largest, globally coordinated humanitarian program in the company’s history, aimed at providing immediate aid in the fight against COVID-19, but also long-term support by focusing their contribution on vulnerable groups within the societies in highly affected regions around the globe that are facing tremendous socio-economic challenges that are beyond the immediate health crisis. Beiersdorf Southern Africa, which is located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, is one of more than 170 international affiliates of the skin care company, Beiersdorf AG. Beiersdorf manufactures well-known brands including NIVEA, NIVEA MEN, Labello, Elastoplast, and Eucerin.

Through “Care Beyond Skin” Beiersdorf Southern Africa will be providing both a financial donation, and a product donation towards COVID-19 relief.  The purpose of the product donation is to thank frontline medical workers across South Africa for their brave dedication and continued care of patients in the brutal face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial relief will be channelled through Thanda, a non-profit organisation supporting critical local needs of the rural Mtwalume community in KwaZulu-Natal.

Partnership to deliver long-term community support
Beiersdorf has a long-term partnership with Thanda, having provided support to this community for the last five years. Thanda creates innovative solutions for sustainable development with special focus on early childhood development, creative learning curriculums and organic farming.  “The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in serious hardships for families and children in rural communities such as Mtwalume.

Rising unemployment in cities has increased household sizes in these areas, as some unemployed have returned to their families in rural communities. The implications of COVID-19 include a loss of income and inability to access the feeding schemes offered at schools in the past,“ says Hamish Douglas, Managing Director, Beiersdorf Southern Africa,  “this leads to insufficient nutrition and has a severe impact on children's overall wellbeing. Our aim is to provide short-term and long-term support to the wider community of Mtwalume.”

The “Care Beyond Skin” COVID-relief donation to Thanda will be allocated into immediate feeding relief for children, care of the vulnerable and elderly, education for children, as well as agricultural projects targeted at long-term food and water sustainability. This will extend to ensure that 12 000 children will receive a fortified breakfast daily until the end of February 2021. With employment rates in the Mtwalume communities averaging only 12%*, farming offers a way to sustainably improve rural livelihoods by empowering community members to develop self-reliance. The objective of the funding allocated to the agricultural farming program is to increase the capacity of Mtwalume farmers’ organic vegetable production by an estimated 185% in a six-month period.  This will bring food relief to 2000 household members in the rural communities whilst ensuring that fresh organic vegetables are harvested and sold locally.

This will increase food availability and offer a long-term food sustainability solution for the future. The agricultural ‘mentorship’ program will teach local community members how to farm and grow their own nutritious food (where possible on their own land), simultaneously empowering these men and women to be able to create their own food security, and a source of income. To help facilitate this the “Care Beyond Skin” funding will provide installation of infrastructure such as irrigation and fencing which are critical to ensure successful crop maintenance and growth. “We are acutely aware of the additional challenges that have been imposed on these communities as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Douglas “and it is our objective to not only offer support, but to ensure that it has a long-lasting impact.”

The funding will include provision of food parcels to the elderly who play a pivotal role in communities where, in many cases they have become the sole guardians of not only their own grandchildren, but to children who may have lost parents to Tuberculosis or HIV. These guardians have the sole responsibility of overseeing the children’s well-being and education. Thanda will support these incredible women in implementing the Thanda ‘neighbourhood Learning at Home’ curriculums. A critical benefit of the NIVEA “Care Beyond Skin” financial support, includes the provision of four fresh water access points in the community located near local schools.  Water is not only a critical fundamental essential to sustain everyday life, but is also imperative to ensure first steps of prevention against the COVID-19 virus through washing of hands. Women regularly walk for four hours to access their nearest clean water supply, having to return carrying a heavy 25ℓ water drum back home.

Thanking the frontline medical staff
The Beiersdorf “Care Beyond Skin” program will also acknowledge and show appreciation to frontline medical staff across South Africa. More than 200,000 NIVEA Creme 400ml tins, 6,000 NIVEA sanitisers and 50,000 medical face masks and will be distributed to over 280 hospitals and clinics nationally with the support of United Way South Africa. Value Logistics have graciously partnered with Beiersdorf South Africa to manage and deliver all these donations at no charge. “We would like to extend our gratitude to those who have selflessly served our communities in these difficult times, often putting themselves at personal risk, and working long hours under challenging conditions,” explains Douglas. *2016 Community Survey and accessed through Wazimap; Wazimap.co.za/profiles/ward-52103012-umzumbe-ward-12-52103012/

As the CoVID-19 pandemic impacts businesses across the world, the Kaizen Institute believes that its Lean Processes methodology will help companies manage the current crisis and emerge stronger after it.  

In order to better understand the new environment, Kaizen Institute recently conducted a Global KAIZEN™ Barometer with companies of various sizes, sectors and locations internationally. The purpose of this survey was to gain insights into the state of the various economies, to assess worldwide challenges and constraints and to adapt our approach to an entirely new way of working.

Thanks to the Global Report that resulted from the COVID-19 Global Barometer, KAIZEN INSTITUTE SOUTH AFRICA is now able to implement new methods to assist local companies adapt to current and expected changes in their particular business environments. 

The Global Report highlights 17 KAIZEN actions that can help businesses now.  It suggests phases and deadlines that will allow companies, using Continuous Improvement activities, to react effectively and emerge from the crisis stronger.  

All aspects of a business are included, for example:

Continuous improvement and innovation in marketing and sales: new ways to undertake digital marketing; develop new products and revisit the customer experience in the new environment; review pricing.

Organization and strategy: seize opportunities to scan and evaluate post-crisis paradigms; implement working from home projects; improve employee motivation and efficiency.

Operations: ensure efficiency in post-crisis start-up; equipment maintenance; resize the supply chain; improve service and support operations; evaluate and improve sourcing, suppliers and emergency operations.

“While the approaches mentioned in the Global Report are generic, Kaizen Institute South Africa will tailor the actions to local business conditions with its team currently researching, studying and developing new methods appropriate for local clients,” says KIZA CEO Mbuso Nkosi.

“The health and safety of our clients, team members, suppliers and communities is paramount.  Most Kaizen Institute consultants are working remotely but, with the increasing reliance on virtual collaboration instead of physical meetings, they are well equipped to set up a virtual work environment,” Nkosi added.

KAIZEN™ principles and methods cannot stop the damage done by the pandemic, but they can provide support to organizations planning to weather the turbulent months ahead.  

“We at Kaizen Institute South Africa will continue to be guided by our mission: Improving the World with Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” Nkosi concludes.

Learn more about the market analysis and how to take advantage of the crisis with Continuous Improvement activities. Download the report "COVID-19 Global Report" for free: https://www.kaizen.com/pdf-download--covid-19-global-report.html

The growth of Criminal Enterprise 4.0 

The world is currently a very scary place. South Africa is facing massive levels of unemployment, and its citizens have been disrupted from their daily routines. 

This has caused heightened levels of anxiety. With this anxiety comes hope that things will start to get back to normal or that there are companies who can offer relief for the risk that is faced in the market.  

Criminals are aware of this anxiety and are looking to take advantage of the desperation that is starting to grow. The public needs to be aware of the following scams which are starting to become more prevalent.  

Trends at SAFPS 

Comparing Feb/May 2020 reported Fraud incidents with 2019 statistics from the same period: 

• total fraud incidents fell by around 8%, with incidents in April falling sharply to half of the 12-month average; This is due to the fact that less credit was extended as a result of the lockdown, looking at the April/May period the fraud incidents dropped by 35% compared to the same time last year.
• Incidents of forged documents, which accounted for 38% of reported fraud incidents in 2019, almost halved, now accounting for only 22% of incidents;
• Impersonation saw a sharp increase in May after the signs of economic slowdown Misuse of bank/loan accounts rose from 2% of incidents to 23% of incidents.
  
  The main trends in this category are:

• • Interception of emails from contacts containing details which would then be changed
  • Requesting admin fees be paid before a successful loan application or lottery winnings could be paid out.
  • Requesting deposits before vehicles, animals or other goods be delivered
     

• Whilst overall fraud rates declined, Gauteng (previously accounting for 55% of all fraud incidents) jumped to 79%.
• The sharpest decline was in KZN which previously accounted for 37% of fraud incidents, now accounting for less than 12%
• We saw that the banking industry accounted for 52% of fraud incidents which is up from 32% in 2019 and actual numbers in the banking industry increased by 30%
• The unsecured lending industry saw their fraud incidents more than doubled, and accounting now for more than 15% of all fraud incidents. 

“Although the number of fraud incidents were less than last year as a result of the restrictions in the country, we need to understand how the various categories of frauds have changed and how the different industries have been affected” said Manie van Schalkwyk, Executive Director of the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS). 

Low hanging fruits

Criminals are frequently using SMS and WhatsApps go out and offer cheap loans to customers.  Customers are then requested to pay an amount upfront to get the loan.   

“This is totally not practice. If the consumer is receiving such an offer, you must know that fraudsters are targeting you.  A number of major companies, such as Direct Axis, Bayport, Wonga and Bidvest Bank have fallen prey to this in the past few months.  The practice is damaging the organisation’s brand as consumers are under the impression that the real organisation is behind these actions, said Van Schalkwyk. 

Worrying statistics

A recent survey, Fraud in the wake of COVID-19: Benchmarking Report, was done by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and showed some worrying statistics 

The report pointed out that, as of May 2020, 68% of survey respondents had already experienced or observed an increase in fraud levels, with one-quarter saying the observed increase has been significant. 

Looking forward, anti-fraud professionals expect an even greater shift in the overall fraud level. Nearly all of our survey respondents (93%) said they anticipate an increase in fraud in the next year (i.e., through May 2021), with more than half of respondents predicting a significant increase. 

The report adds that the threat that has risen the most during the COVID-19 pandemic is cyber fraud, which includes schemes such as business email compromise, hacking, ransomware, and malware. The majority of survey respondents (81%) have already seen an increase in these schemes, and 93% expect them to increase over the next 12 months. 

Fraudulent death claims

“There is a definite correlation between tough economic climates (such as the one we are currently experiencing) and certain insurance policyholders trying to take advantage of the situation and defraud their insurers. One of the trends we are seeing in the market is an increase in fake death claims,” said Garth de Klerk, CEO of the Insurance Crime Bureau. 

Credit life worry

As pointed out earlier; even before COVID-19, South Africa faced massive levels of unemployment. This will only increase as the movement to COVID-19 Risk Levels Two and One are prolonged.  

The Insurance Crime Bureau warns their members against massive scams within the credit life industry. According to the Insurance Crime Bureau, unemployment insurance fund (UIF) claims are being placed on hold due to the exceptionally high volumes of claims being submitted to the Department of Labour. Desperate times calls for desperate measures and there has been a noticeable increase in fraudulent credit life claims because of this. 

“Insurers need to protect themselves and we are urging them to be vigilant and to go through every credit life case with a fine-tooth comb before making a decision on its validity” said De Klerk.  

Remote access joy 

COVID-19 has changed the game when it comes to work. Companies have been forced to allow their employees to work from home. This has unfortunately opened the door for cyber criminals as the security of home internet networks are not as advanced as those of corporate internet networks.

 “Hackers and cyber criminals are taking advantage of COVID-19 by sending fraudulent emails that look legitimate and attempt to trick victims into clicking on malicious links or opening attachments. According to the SAFPS, there has been a BIG INCREASE in Phishing and SMS scams that prey on the increased reliance on digital tools. The main objective for criminals is to get hold of your information, which is usually followed by account takeovers. These criminals are looking to commit insurance, banking or donations fraud related to COVID-19,” said Van Schalkwyk.  

Companies are targets to

It is important to remember that it is not only the public that are potential victims during this time. Companies also face significant risks.  

“Fraudsters are approaching clients, usually businesses, purporting to be suppliers advising that their banking details have changed and requesting payments to be made to a specific account number. In more sophisticated cases, legitimate suppliers’ e-mail accounts are hacked and used to send e-mails advising of the change in banking details. Losses are usually quite extensive due to the high business transaction values,” said Van Schalkwyk. 

Where large financial institutions (such as banks) have multiple call centres, fraudsters are approaching various call centres purportedly as the client to change one piece of customer information at each call centre. Fraudsters will contact home loans to change a telephone number, and vehicle financing department to change an e-mail address, and in so doing changing the view of the customer without being detected in a single point of contact.  

“Typically, the fraudsters would pass knowledge-based authentication protocols, as they would have the obtained the customers personal information through various means. One particular financial institution is phasing out knowledge-based authentication of clients and implementing voice biometric identification,” said Van Schalkwyk. 

If it looks too good to be true, it is

“Unfortunately, criminals are smart and ruthless and will not think twice about taking advantage of a distressed individual who is experiencing a lot of risk or is going through a lot of pain during this time. We need to be aware of our surroundings and always remember: if it looks or sounds too good to be true, it probably is. View everything with a critical eye and you will be saved from fraudsters,” said Van Schalkwyk. 

-- END --

ISSUED FOR AND ON BEHALF OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN FRAUD PREVENTION SERVICES GROUP

ONTHATILE MOKOBORI OF
BULLION PR & COMMUNICATION
EMAIL: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CELL:  076 714 5171
LANDLINE: (0)10 009-6857